Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Bluetooth Made it Easy!

Introduction

Bluetooth is an open specification for a cutting-edge technology that enables short-range wireless connections between desktop and laptop computers, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, printers, scanners, digital cameras and even home appliances on a globally available band (2.4GHz) for worldwide compatibility. In a nutshell, Bluetooth unplugs your digital peripherals and makes cable clutter a thing of the past.

Bluetooth Connections

Bluetooth devices are addressed in two ways: (1) When referring to the local device configuration, a Bluetooth Device is the local Bluetooth hardware which can be a USB dongles, a UART device, a PCMCIA card or a BCSP device. The user is expected to select the interface of his Bluetooth device in his configuration. (2) When referring to the Bluetooth application, it is the Bluetooth system as a whole, e.g. a Bluetooth modem, Bluetooth mobiles or a Bluetooth PDA etc.

Bluetooth typically supports two kinds of radio adapters: USB, CompactFlash card (UART or BCSP). These adapters can be added onto a PC or a notebook to make it Bluetooth enabled. A user initiates the bonding procedure and enters a passkey to create a paired relationship between two devices.

Security

Security is an important part for the wireless communication technology. Illegal access to your computer can be rejected. There are three levels of security: Low, Medium and High.

It offers three levels of security:

Low (Security Mode 1, No security)
No security procedure is needed for connections.

Medium (Security Mode 2, Service level enforced security)
Authentication or Authorization is requested when a specific service is accessed by other Bluetooth enabled devices. If two devices are connecting for the first time, or if two devices do not have a trusted relationship, then the same passkey must be provided on both sides to complete the Authentication. This mode allows you to assign different access rights for each service supported by the server.

High (Security Mode 3, Link level enforced security)
If either of two devices is in Security Mode 3, Authentication is requested whenever a connection is initiated between two Bluetooth enabled devices. The passkey must be provided on both sides to complete Authentication.

Bluetooth Capabilities


With Bluetooth enabled devices, a number of profiles are available for performing various tasks:

lAV Headphone Profie

enables users to use a Bluetooth enabled headphone to listen high-quality stereo music played in a computer. So you can listen to music using a Bluetooth enabled AV Headphone. Only one Headset or AV Headphone connection can exist at a time, since there is only one virtual Bluetooth audio device.

Basic Imaging Profile

(BIP) enables users to receive pictures from a Bluetooth device such as digital camera, mobile phone, or other compatible device. It also enables remote control of shooting, display, and other imaging functions. You can control Camera to take pictures, receive pictures sent from BIP-enabled digital devices.

Bluetooth Dial-up Networking (DUN) Profile

enables users to wirelessly dial-up to Internet through a Bluetooth modem or a mobile phone that supported the DUN Profile. You can Dial-up to Internet via a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone or modem.

Bluetooth FAX Profile

enables users to send fax from a computer via a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone or modem.You can send fax via a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone or modem.

File Transfer Profile

(FTP) enables users to transfer files and/or folders between Bluetooth enabled laptops, desktops, PDAs, mobile phones, etc. You can connect to a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone and transfer files or folders to/from the phone or, share a folder on your computer with other Bluetooth enabled devices or, access a shared folder on another Bluetooth enabled device.

Headset Profile

enables users to use a Bluetooth headset as wireless earplug or microphone. You can use Headset as a device for audio input/output.

Bluetooth Human Interface Device (HID) Profile
enables users to use Bluetooth enabled HID Device such as keyboard, mice or joystick to control your computer.

Bluetooth LAN Access Profile

(LAP) allows users to access a Local Area Network (LAN) via a Bluetooth enabled LAN access point. You can use your computer as a LAN Access Point.

Bluetooth Object Push Profile

(OPP) enables users to send and receive Personal Information Management (PIM) data objects (Including messages, notes, calendars items, and Business cards) to and from a Bluetooth enabled PDA or mobile phone.

The following objects are supported:

Contacts (*.vcf)
Calendars (*.vcs)
Notes (*.vnt)
Messages (*.vmg)

You can push objects to a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone or PDA or, receive objects from a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone or PDA.

Bluetooth Personal Area Networking (PAN) Profile
enables PCs, laptops, PDAs, and other Bluetooth enabled devices to form either of two kinds of PAN networks. In a Group ad-hoc Network (GN), which functions as an isolated network, multiple PAN Users (PANUs) are linked together via a GN controller. Alternatively, a PAN can consist of multiple PANUs linked to a Network Access Point (NAP), which provides access to external Local Area Network (LAN) infrastructure. BlueSoleil supports all three of these device roles — GN (controller), PANU, and NAP.

For example, you can set up a Group Ad-hoc Network (Peer-to- peer networking). One device acts as the GN, and others function as PANU devices. These computers can visit each other or use an application based on TCP/IP.
You can access a LAN via a Network Access Point (or a Computer Acting as a NAP). After the computers connect to the NAP, they become members of the LAN and can directly communicate with other computers in the LAN.

Bluetooth Printer Profile

(HCRP) enables your compter to connect to a Bluetooth enabled printer.

Bluetooth Serial Port Profile
(SPP) provides PCs, laptops, PDAs, GPS receivers, cordless serial adapters, and other Bluetooth enabled devices with a virtual serial port, enabling them to connect with each other wirelessly via Bluetooth instead of a serial cable. Typically it uses four Bluetooth Serial Ports for out-going connections and two Bluetooth Serial Ports for incoming connections.

Bluetooth Synchronization (SYNC) Profile

enables users to synchronize PIM objects on their computer with that of other Bluetooth enabled computers as well as Bluetooth enabled mobile phones, PDAs, and other devices.

Four kinds of objects are supported in synchronization. They are,

Contacts (*.vcf)
Calendars (*.vcs)
Notes (*.vnt)
Messages (*.vmg)
Supported Outlook versions: MS Outlook 2000, Outlook 2002 (xp), Outlook 2003.

Conclusion


Though the above capabilities are found in most of the Bluetooth Enabling Software, this article is based on the one from BlueSoleil for Motorola's Bluetooth enabled mobiles.

BlueSoleil is a Windows-based software from IVT Corporation that allows your Bluetooth® enabled desktop or notebook computer to wirelessly connect to other Bluetooth enabled devices such as cameras, mobile phones, headsets, printers, and GPS receivers. You can also form networks and exchange data with other Bluetooth enabled computers or PDAs.